The purchase will consist of three tracts of land totaling about 135 acres, said David Biesheuvel, GISD executive director of Construction and Development. The first tract is for 15 acres, the second for 30 acres and the last for 90 acres, he said. All tracts are located in the southwest quadrant of the district, he said.
Biesheuvel said that the land will be used for a future elementary, middle and high school. The contract was drawn up in July, he said.
“Since [July], we’ve been doing extensive feasibility studies, and based on the results of those feasibility studies ... we’re asking for action to approve closing on this item,” Biesheuvel said.
In April, the board authorized Brent to enter final negotiations on the purchase of land for a new middle school in the northwest quadrant.
Brent said that more details on the land purchase, such as the exact location, will be shared at a later time.
The land purchase for the new schools coincides with the district’s continued growth.
In an earlier portion of the meeting, Bryan Hallmark, assistant superintendent for Operations and School Leadership, presented the district’s third quarter demographic report. The report offers future enrollment projections through unemployment and housing rends, growth hot spots and student projections for the next 10 years.
Hallmark said the district had a growth enrollment of 3.2% in the fall, and it is expected to continue, particularly around the East View High School, which is predicted to have higher capacity than Georgetown High School by school year 2023-24 or 2024-25.
In addition, GISD is expected to add 1,300-1,400 new homes every year for the next three to five years, where each household is anticipated to yield about 1.15 students for the district, he said.
“That’s what’s driving our actual future growth rates projection,” Hallmark said.
GISD currently has an enrollment of about 12,000 students. That is expected to jump to 14,470 in 2024-25 and 17,421 in 2029-30, Hallmark said.
In other business:
The board approved a $346,500 playscape improvement project at elementary schools around the district. Improvements include shade structures at the six elementary schools and a replaced playscape at Village Elementary School. The work would begin in mid-January and be completed by the end of May.
